Update: Grossmont Reacts to Being on State List of Districts in Budget Straits

Seven school districts in San Diego County, including the , are on a list released by the state Department of Education Thursday of those that might have trouble paying their bills in the next few years.

Scott Patterson, deputy superintendent for business services for the Grossmont district, noted that the state requires school districts to declare financial status based on forecasts for not just the current year but the two outlying years as well. 

“Our concern is not with the current school year,” he said Thursday.
 
“However, based on the current state budget picture, we are concerned about next year and the following which lead to our ‘Qualified’ status.  In light of this, we are confident that in partnership with our employee bargaining groups, we will develop a balanced solution to our projected budget gaps.”

The districts are among 120 around California that submitted “qualified” certifications of their financial condition. The information includes the current and following two fiscal years.

The districts in San Diego County are:

• Borrego Springs Unified
• Carlsbad Unified
• Fallbrook Union
• Grossmont Union
• National Elementary
• Ramona City Unified
• San Marcos Unified

The San Diego Unified School District, the largest in the region, filed a “positive” certification even though it faces a possible shortfall of over $100 million in the next school year.

Seven school districts statewide issued “negative" certifications, meaning they won't be able to cover their financial obligations. Two are in Southern California—neither in San Diego County.

The challenged school districts—17 more than last year—educate one in three students in California, said state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson.

“The financial emergency facing our schools remains both wide and deep,” Torlakson said. “The deep cuts made to school funding—and looming uncertainties about the future—are driving school districts to the brink of insolvency.”

The districts issued the semi-annual certifications in December, based on their finances last Oct. 31. Torlakson said their fiscal situations might have changed since Gov. Jerry Brown made his budget proposals last month.

City News Service contributed to this report.